Welcome news for type 2 diabetics. And welcome, Coca Cola Life!

The attached scientific report is in many ways scary reading for anyone struggling with high blood sugar levels. Here we were, believing that lab-invented, artificial sweeteners were a remedy for glucose intolerance – and then all signs point to the opposite! Aspartame and friends obviously only make things worse. Surprise!

We don’t know if people suffering from diabetes type 2 think the research results are good news or bad news – “For years, I’ve been working against my body, believing I was doing the right thing” – but fortunately there is a sweet alternative: stevia. As natural as sugar, as calorie-free as chemical sweeteners. Win-win. From a pharmacological point of view, even better than both: at least one study has confirmed that the stevia molecule actually can improve the body’s insulin performance.

Furthermore, stevia is also a very strong antioxidant, stronger that basically all other easy-to-get-by antioxidants. No wonder several pharmaceutical companies are working on how to add stevia to various drugs to make them more effective.

We think all this is very good news. And the fact that the Giant from Atlanta now launches a calorie-free soft drink internationally sweetened with stevia – Coca Cola Life – is proof that stevia is the way to a healthier future. Why else call the beverage “Life?”

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13793.html